The last 6 weeks, I have been having CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) to help control my worries and anxiety. This was my first time having it. It would normally be face to face, however given the current situation, it was done online via video.
I was apprehensive at first to try this, but I will say, upon reflection, I can say, I highly benefited from this.
Those of you that worry or are anxious, you full well know that this can have a huge impact on your sleep, what you do with your day, whether or not you get up and be productive. Worrying takes up a huge amount of time.
I found that when I was worried about a situation I would avoid it, that may be paying for a bill because I was worried that it would put me out of pocket, or even avoiding a situation as I would be worried that I would panic or make a fool of myslef. Any simple thing could trigger me.
What I learnt is that there are so many people who are in the same boat as me.
I have learnt from my CBT to write down my thoughts and worries. I have also learnt to problem solve, be SMART.
- Define the problem
- Brainstorm as many solutions as you can
- Choose the best option out of these for yourself
- Plan how you can put this into action
- Do it-act on it.
- Review the plan. Did it work? What could I improve next time?
I have also found that by doing this, I have less time to worry and more time for myself. On top of this, I have learnt that there are things I cannot control and I have to accept that this may be the case at times.
From this, I have also learnt to set review dates for myself. Book a time in each week, for around 10-15 minutes and assess/ ask myself a few questions such as:
- What has gone well for me?
- What hasn’t gone well?
- What can I learn?
- How can I put what I have learnt into practice.
This will help you to notice if you are slipping back into your habits.
Take it one step at time, but you will always get to your destination. By changing our thoughts, we can change our world.
blogwithlivelikekk.wordpress.com 